1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to microfluidics, and more particularly, to an elastic valve controlling a flow of fluids flowing along a channel, and a microfluidic device including the elastic valve.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a field related to microfluidics, research into a microfluidic device capable of performing various functions such as performing biochemical reactions, detecting a result of the reactions, etc. by using biochemical fluids such as blood, urine, etc. has been actively carried out. The microfluidic device may include a device in the form of a chip known as a lab-on-a-chip, or a device in the form of a rotating disk known as a lab-on-a-disk. In the microfluidic device, a microchannel for transferring fluids is formed, and a microfluidic control valve unit for controlling a flow of the fluids flowing along the microchannel may be formed.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views illustrating a cross-section of a conventional microfluidic device 10 disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2006-0038879, wherein FIG. 1A illustrates a case in which external pressure is not applied, and FIG. 1B illustrates a case in which deformation occurs due to applied external pressure.
Referring to FIG. 1A, the conventional microfluidic device 10 includes a lower-plate 11 formed of silicon Si, an upper-plate 13 formed of elastomer and attached to the lower-plate 11, and a channel 15 formed by a groove engraved on a bottom side of the upper-plate 13. The channel 15 is dented by external pressure, so as to be elastically restituted, from a direction indicated by an arrow illustrated in FIG. 1B.
However, if a cross-section of the channel 15 is rectangular-shaped as illustrated in FIG. 1A, although the channel 15 is dented by applied external pressure, the channel 15 is not completely closed but a space 16 as illustrated in FIG. 1B is often formed, thereby lessening the reliability of a closing of the channel 15.